


here comes your man

by storiesfortravellers



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Banter, Bickering, Enemies to Lovers, First Time, Fix-It, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Loss of Powers, M/M, Protectiveness, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 09:09:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15116264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesfortravellers/pseuds/storiesfortravellers
Summary: Barry and Snart are both captured and have to depend on each other. But one of them knows a secret about the other.





	here comes your man

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ciliegio](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ciliegio/gifts).



Snart stood closer, leaned in, clearly trying to intimidate Barry. “Out of my way, red.”

“Not until you listen to me,” Barry said. “I know you’re confused.” Snart had shown up a month ago, alive and well, but didn’t seem to have any memory of saving the universe with the Legends; instead, he had been robbing every museum, gallery, and bank in Central City. Tracking him down had been even harder than usual, especially since last week, when Cisco’s new dark matter-powered generator had malfunctioned; while nobody was seriously injured, Barry had lost his powers, and he hadn’t had any luck getting them back in the past week. 

Len sneered. “Confused? You think _I’m_ confused? You’re the one about to get shot in the face with a cold gun, so I think maybe I’m the one who knows what the hell is up.”

“I know you don’t understand, but you’re much more heroic than you realize,” Barry said. 

Snart tilted his head, gun still pointed. “You think so? You really think you know me better than you know myself? And you’re willing to bet your life on it?”

“Yes,” Barry said, defiant. 

Snart walked closer, like he was trying to read Barry. 

Barry knew he had to say just the right thing. How do you explain to someone that they’re friends now but that one of them doesn’t remember? How do you explain to one of the best thieves in the world that he decided self-sacrifice was more important than personal gain? In that second, he tried to pump himself up to give Snart the best redemption speech in history.

He opened his mouth.

A stun grenade went off and sent them both to the ground.

\--

 

Barry tried to stand, but strong hands, rough were pulling him up. His ears were ringing still. 

He could see Len being handled too, by large men, holsters with guns. Definitely not cops. They had gotten his cold gun away from him, but Len was fighting back. In return, they were punching him every place within reach. 

“Kid,” Len growled, urging him to do something.

“I can’t,” Barry said, trying to convey the truth of it in his voice.

“Really? Your secret means that much?” Len said, then curled over after a kick to his stomach. 

“Snart!” Barry said, and struggled against the man holding him, but the man put an arm around his neck and started to choke Barry. 

Snart looked up from where he was crouched on his hands and knees, and looked Barry in the eyes, watching as Barry struggled to breath, as his face was surely turning red. Barry could see the exact moment when Snart realized: Barry had no powers, so both of them were screwed.

“Okay,” Snart yelled, putting his hands up as he kneeled. “Okay! Not fighting back!”

One of the men stepped forward, nodded at the guy choking Barry to let up. 

“Wow,” the man in charge chuckled, “Look at that. Here we thought we’d have to figure out how to make the great Leonard Snart work for us. Turns out all we have to do is hurt his little friend.”

Snart sneered. “He’s not my friend. In fact, he might literally be the most annoying person I’ve met in my life.” 

“Nice try. We see how it is,” the man in charge said, then addressed his underlings, “Take them both. Put ‘em in the room. Give them some time to anticipate their next beating.”

A hood went over Len’s head then, and then over Barry’s. Then the smell of chloroform, then nothing.

\--

“Scarlet.”

A voice, gentle. A feel of a warm hand on his shoulder.

“Scarlet.”

Barry opened his eyes.

“You’re an idiot,” Snart said.

“Thanks, I like you too.”

Snart sighed. “Coming after me without powers? I could have killed you.”

“I think I’d rather take my chances with you than with these guys.”

“I’m going to assume that was a reference to my so-called heroism and not to my mastermind abilities, because otherwise I’m deeply offended.”

Barry smiled, despite the headache. 

“Let me look at you,” Len said, gently prodding at Barry’s bruised face, staring into his eyes.

It was nice. But not very Snart-like. 

“Just checking for concussion or worse, Red. But it looks like you’ll be okay. Until they kill us, of course.”

“Of course.”

“They want me to work for them. Heard I was back in town, figured that my brains and their brawn would be unstoppable. But they don’t want to give me a cut, of course. So they’re keeping me here to help them plan their heists. If they’re not successful, then they come back here and, well, you can guess.”

“You can’t help them!”

“We’re dead if I don’t. Especially you.”

“Innocent people--”

“Ugh! Enough with the innocent people! Who cares?”

Barry started to argue, but Len said, “Just kidding. I gave them a plan that even a group of idiots –which is what they are – should be able to pull off without hurting anyone.”

Barry actually laughed. “So if they’re idiots, we can figure a way out.”

Len’s mouth tightened. “We’re in a concrete cell, multiple locks, lots of guys with guns outside. And that little pulley over there? That looks like it’s to give us food and water. So there’s no way to use social engineering or to overpower a guard – they’re not even going to get near the cell. I may think they’re stupid just on principle, but their plan’s not stupid.”

“It’s okay. My team will find us,” Barry said, then wincing at the pain.

Len looked skeptical. But he helped Barry stand and said, “Just take it easy. I get the feeling you’re not quite as fast a healer as usual, so let’s play along until I think of an angle, okay? I know guys like this, so you need to let me take the lead on this, okay?” He said it firmly, like he wanted to make sure Barry knew that he was going to protect them both.

It was a big change from Len’s usual blade-sharp swagger. 

The swagger was sexy. But this, this was nice in a whole new way.

Barry swallowed. Dwelling on how hot Snart was when he was being overprotective – well, it probably was really stupid when they were both kidnapped. 

“Yeah, no problem,” Barry said with a smile.

Len patted him on the shoulder, his hand lingering for a moment, and Barry tried not to read anything into it.

\--

The men gave them daily food and water. They also dropped in specifications for heists that they demanded Snart write up plans for. The one time Snart tried mildly stalling, they came in and were about to break Barry’s fingers, but Snart managed to convince him that he was complying after all.

This took up most of Snart’s time, and out of boredom, Barry, despite his personal objections to theft, helped Snart talk things through. He trusted Snart to do his best to protect innocents, for some reason. And it was interesting to see how Snart’s mind worked.

At night, their lights were turned off, and they just lay there silently until they slept. They weren’t given beds, just a large thin mat on the concrete floor, so they huddled for warmth as if there nothing strange about waking up with their arms wrapped around each other.

It was like that for several nights, until Barry decided talking would be better.

“Thank you. For protecting me.”

“I’m protecting myself,” Snart said.

“No. I’ve learned a lot about how you think the past few days. If I weren’t here, you’d convince them to let you join them on the heist, then escape. But with me here, that would definitely end with me dead.”

Len sighed. “You’re right. You’re a terrible burden.”

“Seriously. I know why you’re doing it.”

“Why?” 

“Because you’re a good person.”

“So naïve, Barry.”

“I am so sick of your bullshit,” Barry said.

Len paused, then laughed. “I like this side of you.”

“Yeah, well, get used to it. Being kidnapped is making me a grouchy dude,” Barry said, laughing too.

“You were the first person,” Len said after a minute. 

“What?”

“The first person to think I might be someone… who’s….”

“A hero?”

“Enough with that word!” Len said, and they both laughed again.

“Len,” Barry said, nervously. 

“What?”

Their faces were close, and Barry leaned in slightly. He waited. Len didn’t move, so Barry moved closer.

“You sure you’re ready for this, Red?” Len said, voice rich with protectiveness.

Barry kissed him then, hard, tongue moving past lips, and Len kissed back, rough and eager.

They paused to breathe, and Barry looked in his eyes, wanted to tell him everything, wanted to tell him that he’s dreamt of this moment for years. 

Instead, Barry tugged at Len’s shirt, and soon they were both naked, sweating, hands everywhere.

When it was done, when they were still catching their breath, Len looked at him. 

“Barry, there’s something I haven’t told you.”

“What?” Barry said, fearing the worst.

“I knew this – you and me – I knew this would happen.”

Barry smiled. “I knew it too. I mean, I hoped.” 

“No. I mean, future-you told me this would happen.”

Barry stared. “Okay, explain.”

Len did. 

Len did remember being part of the Legends (Barry had figured that much by now, actually). Apparently, the changing the timeline rule didn’t apply to situations outside of all timelines, so saving Len was allowed. 

“But how did you save the universe from the Time Masters if I saved you?”

“I had to sacrifice myself to hold a button down. You brought duct tape.”

That was simple enough. But apparently, future Barry had also told Len that they were together.

“Like, we’re friends with benefits? Married? Dating?” Barry asked.

Len seemed like he felt that question was a lot of pressure. “Future you wasn’t all that forthcoming on details,” he growled.

“That does sound like future me,” Barry admitted.

“He told me that he would take me back to a month ago and that I should do something to make sure I caught your attention.”

Barry paused. “You robbed all those banks to get _my attention_??!?”

Len smirked. “Everyone flirts in their own way.”

“You’re the worst.”

“Future you seems to think I’m pretty great.”

“Future me might be an idiot.”

“Entirely possible.”

They both laughed again.

Snart frowned again then. “Yeah, I don’t know what future you meant exactly. But … I mean, you know who I am. What I do. We’re never going to be white picket fences and and 2.5 dogs.” 

“Would I be the picket fence and you’re the 2.5 dogs? Or are you--”

“I’m serious. I know you’re a settle down type of guy. But you and I aren’t going to be that.”

“Then what do you think we’ll be?”

“I mean, I assume we’ll just be a series of arguments and fights with some hot angry sex in between – or vice versa, if we’re really lucky. But we’re not going to be part of each other’s lives in the way you want.”

“First of all, that vice versa situation sounds pretty good. And it does sound like us. But let’s not predict what we will or won’t want in the future. I mean, things change. People change.”

“I know myself, Barry. I’m not built for normal. I’m never going to ask you to go dancing or bring you flowers and candy or host a barbecue for your stupid friends.”

“Actually, most of friends are geniuses.”

“Which makes the all the more insufferable.”

“Look, this is good news. We’re together in the future. That’s good news, right?”

Len gently stroked Barry’s lip with his thumb. “Yeah, that’s good.”

“Then we’ll work on the other stuff later.”

“I guess we will.”

\--

The bad guys don’t get any nicer. 

Luckily, in a couple of weeks, Cisco shows up and vibes them away as Killer Frost gives the bad guys a good chill. 

Cisco grinned as they arrived safely back in Star Labs, hugging Barry and giving Snart a cautious nod. “Sorry it took so long, Barry. I couldn’t vibe off of any of your regular stuff without the speed force in you. But when we figured out that you disappeared at the same time Snart did, we figured you were together, so I vibed off of Snart’s old comic books that Lisa gave us.”

“You had comic books?” Barry asked Len.

“Yes. Shut up.”

“Barry,” Cisco said, “Good news, bad news on your powers.”

“Good news first.”

“We know how to get your powers back,” Cisco said.

“Awesome.”

“But the explosion that caused you to lose them – it was sabotage. And we don’t know who,” Cisco said, worried.

“Wasn’t me,” Len said.

“I’m sure it wasn’t,” Barry said. “But let’s get me powered up first, then we’ll talk about the other stuff.”

\--

After Barry got his powers back, the bad guys were booked at CCPD, and everyone had a chance to reunite and debrief, Barry walked over to Len. 

“So what now?”

Len rolled his eyes. “If you must, you can have dinner at my place. We’ll have takeout. Your treat.”

“Sounds great. But I have to do one thing first - well, a couple things. But it won’t take me long.”

“Why would it.” 

\--

Barry speeds away, buys some duct tape, then goes outside of the timeline to save Leonard’s life. He brings Len back to a month before they got taken.

“You miss me that much, kid?” Len smirks when Barry explains the situation.

“Yes.”

Snart looks confused.

“The thing is, in the future, we’re together.”

“No.”

“What?”

“Nope.”

Snart just plain doesn’t believe him. 

After a half hour of angry arguing, Len just smirks, raises an eyebrow, and says, “Okay, if we’re together, do something really dirty to me right now.”

Barry leans in, grips Len’s hips, and kisses him, sending rapid vibrations through his tongue throughout Len’s body. 

“Okay, kid, I believe you.”

“You do.”

“There’s no way you could kiss that dirty unless I taught you how.”

Barry gives him a middle finger.

Len smiles. “See? More evidence that I’ve had an excellent influence on you.”

“Let’s just get going,” Barry said with a laugh.

“So we’re back to your present?”

“Well. Actually, I left you about a month in my past. Just so that – I mean, it’s complicated, but I really think that we sh--”

Len raises up a hand to stop him. “I get it. Time travel paradox loops multiple alternate timeline universes blah blah blah blah blah. One thing you learn on a timeship – stop worrying about the explanation and just get it done.”

“Fair enough.”

“You’re going back to your present now?”

“Yeah, I shouldn’t stay long in the past. The ramifi--”

“Time travel butterflies speed bureau blah blah blah.”

“Yes. Just, you know. Make sure you do something to catch my attention.”

Len grinned, catlike. “Oh, I’m sure I can think of something.”

Barry sighed and left, speeding forward in time.

He stopped three weeks later at Star Labs.

“Sorry, Cisco,” Barry muttered to himself as he sabotaged the generator. 

Then he sped back to his present time, and ran over to Len’s place again, this time to a month-older Len.

He went up to knock on the door, but then thought of something.

He sped away to buy some flowers and candy for Len and then knocked on the door again.

Len opened the door and saw the ‘gifts.’ “You can’t honestly think I would like those?”

“Nope. I figured you would hate them, and we could argue about it and then have angry, resentful sex.”

Len, seeming to do it despite himself, burst out laughing. Then he held the door open so Barry could come in.


End file.
